Gauge holder



July 19, 1949. A. GRAHAM GAUGE HOLDER Filed May 9, 1947 am G 1w. 1w lPatented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE GAUGE HOLDER AlbertGraham, Canton, Ohio Application May 9, 1947,V Serial No. 747,030

3 Claims. (Cl. 33-168) The invention relates generally to holders for aset of tools, and more particularly to a novel holder for a set of atfeeler gauges. Prior holders for a set of flat gauges have included sideplates normally covering the gauges which are pivoted at one end in theside plates, so that any of the gauges may separately be swung about thepivot to operative position. However, in using the gauges in such workas adjusting automotive valves, it is diicult and awkward to hold adesired gauge in operative position. It has been proposed to providemeans on the holder for engaging one edge of the extended gauge, butsuch means is unsatisfactory because it prevents movement of the gaugein only one direction.

Another disadvantage of such prior gauge holders is that it is difiicultto swing the gauges out-from the side plates, and although a nger notchis sometimes provided in one or both side plates, such notch is not veryhelpful if the gauges are held in the side plates tightly enough toprevent their accidental dislodgment, or if the operators fingers areoily.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novelgauge holder which overcomes the disadvantages of prior constructions.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide anovel gauge holder having means for tightly clamping any of the gaugesseparately in operative position.

Another object is to provide a gauge holder having novel means forstarting the gauges to swing out from the side plates.

A further object is to provide a. simple, compact and inexpensive gaugeholder which is easily operated for gripping any of a set of gaugesseparately in operative position.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions andarrangements comprising the present invention, a preferred embodiment ofwhich is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing anddescribed in detail in the following specification, and which is setforth and defined in the claims forming part hereof.

In general terms, the invention may be described as a gauge holderhaving a plurality of superimposed gauges pivoted at one end within apair of side plates, said side plates being eX- tended beyond thepivoted ends and tapered toward each other, a screw clamp being providedon the side plate extensions for tightly clamping any of the gaugesbetween the ends of the extensions, and there being a linger memberswiveled in the opposite ends of the side plates for initiating swingingmovement of all of the gauges out from the holder.

Referring to the drawing forming part hereof, in which a preferredembodiment of the invention is shown by way of example,

Figure l is a top plan view of the improved gauge holder with one of thegauges clamped in operating position, and the other gauges started toswing out from the holder;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, as on line 33,-Fig. 1;and

Fig. 4 is a detached plan view of the linger member for initiating theswinging movement of the gauges from the holder.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views ofthe drawing.

While the novel gauge holder is shown and described as applied to a setof flat feeler gauges, it is apparent that the invention may be em.bodied in a holder for other gauges or tools, as for example, in a setof screw driver blades, without departing from the scope of invention asdefined in the claims.

The improved holder preferably includes a pair of longitudinal sideplates 5 which are mounted in spaced parallel relation and are adaptedto enclose a set of flat feeler gauges 6. The feeler gauges 6 are ofusual construction and are preferably all the same length and width forbeing superimposed upon each other within the side plates '5. As shown,the side plates 5 are substantially the same width or slightly widerthan the feeler gauges B.

At one `end the feelergauges 6 are pivotally mounted in the side plates5 by a rivet or bolt 1, so that anyrof the gauges may be. swung throughsubstantially to operative position such as occupied by the gauge 6a inFigs. l and 2.

Adjacent the free ends of the gauges 6 when folded within the sideplates, the side plates are secured together by means of a rivet or bolt8 which serves to aid in holding the set of gauges relatively tightlywithin the side plates 5 when not in use. The parts thus far describedcomprise a conventional form of feeler gauge, and per se form no part ofthe present invention.

In the present invention the side plates 5 are provided with extensionsor projections 9 extending longitudinally beyond the pivot 1 and ends ofthe gauges 6 adjacent thereto, and as shown in Fig. 2, these extensionsare offset or tapered toward each other so that their outer end portionsl0 are closely adjacent each other. As

bottom gauge 6a is shown in this position.v Prefe erably, the 'improveddlampingrnneans inriludes n U-shaped clamp piece I'I secured to oneofthe extensions 9 as by rivets I2 and extending around one side of theextensions and over the top thereof. A thumb screw I3 is threadedthrough portion of the clamp II for squeezing the ends .Ill`

of the extensions together and tightly clamping the gauge 6atherebetween. The gauges :ar-termin and flexible enough so that theywill bend sulliciently when clamped to position the outwardly projectingportion of the gauge in a plane substantially parallel Ythe :endeV"plates nf the kmlder. sin `this position, the grange 5a 'nr may :efthe other gauges is held ilnimnvenientlynperativerposit'ionandtheiciannpin'gscrew I3 can easilybe tightened ito .grip'the its operative iposition so that it willrdtwll'lgitonfight orlefton'nthe Divot 7l. Y

In order to initiate tllre swinging Jmovement nf thelga'uges i6ffrmnthefside ,pia'tes fof the -holder, a novel finger pieueiisvprovided adjacent to the free ends of Vthe rgaages. This .ngeripiecepreferably includes fan fanmilar portion CHI rotatably mounted on thebltil, .and havinga projecti'on l 5 "for engaging the irreefen'ds ofthegauges at xone sit-le lthereof. fopposite side fof annularY portion I4is jam mitwardliy curved proijecton 1B iwhichiis adapted Ftobeezrgagedfby `the thumb for fn'ger fer fnrcng the 'projection against thegauges 5to imtiatetheirswing. l*I'hus Y fire finger -:piece 'provides@for starting all ni the gauges to swing iabout lth'eir pivot fl asindicated in Fig. `1, eventhe gauges fare it-ightlyfhe'ld ibetweenlthe-sideplates by 'the bolts `1 iand i8.

The novel gauge holderiis simple andfinexpensive to manufacture, easyand convenient etomse, and overcomes the disadvantages `'of-prior 'gauge:nei-ders, m 'Itri-a1; 'the gauges are easily .started swinging towardoperative an fany idesred gauge :is quickly nightly-clamped fin'operative pesitionfduing use iIn vthe T'foregoingVdescription;certainterms have been :used Yfor '-brevity, `clearners and*understand ing, Ibutno unnecessarylimitat'ions vare to be limpiledtherefrom ibeyond 'the'requiremerts iof the prior art, because suchwords iareuseti i-fnr de soriptive purposes herein and are intended to.be broadly feonstru'ed.r l

Moreover, -the embodiment fof the improved 4 Y. construction illustratedand described herein is by way of example, and the scope of the presentinvention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the constructiomthe operation Vanduse, and a'preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new anduseful results obtained thereby; the new and useful .constructions andreasonable .mechanical .requiyalentsrthereof obvlionsto thosefskilled inthe art, are set forth in the appended claims.

Y 1. A gauge holder including a pairV of side iplates, a plurality ofsuperimposed gauges pivoted at one end between said side plates, saidside plates being extended beyond the pivoted ends efrthegaug-esiandibeing offset toward each other, and a screw clamp at theouter end of one of said extensions for tightly gripping any of thegauges in outwardly swung position between said extensions. Y Y 1 1 f2.:Af gauge Al-i'oltl'er .including 'a pair pf side platesJa-jpluralityaof superimposed gauges lpluie fted ateneie-nd between saidsidepla'tesfsaid sie plates lbeing extenties 'beien-d ithe pi-vaten endsfor *the gauges and being pli-set `toward Jeach o'tfhen-{liYYiLilshape-l felarn-p 4'onen-e fnf "said extensions *and surrounding:the other `'exte'nsion, and a rzliniip-V 2ing `screw Lmounted 1in'saidlcl'amp ifor'tightly gip `'ping any of 'the Y gauges in outwardlyswung posiition between said extensions.

A` gauge holder fincludirrg `a a'pair of side plates, la pluralityo'fsuperimposed gauges located between said side plates la-'rrd *pivoted atone 'end thereto, longitudinal lprojections on the plates extending'awayfromsra'idpivotedends'and tapering 'toward each 'o'tlrrer at 'theirouter ends', 'and Y'screw 'clamping imeans mounted `on the Iouter ends'of *said projections 'for clamping 'them tonlzitwardly swung positiontherebetwee' ALBERT GRAHAM.

einen .',Ihe T following :references care -pf,..rec0rrd in the file ofthis patent:

'errer-Es Prifrnnrs Great Britain --.1 Aprrzz,

